Legend of the Digimon Queen
by Love Star
Summary: Just another Ruakto story by me! *Updated* Ruki's not supposed to fall in love, and of course Takato falls in love with her. What will become of it? R+R
1. Meeting

  Legend of the Digimon Queen 

  Intro: Here's something entirely new, a fantasy/romance story. It's rukato of course, and this one's pretty twisted. Ruki cannot feel love or regret, at least she doesn't think so. To make life a little more exciting, she has a secret, and Takato wants to uncover it, and he's got a crush on her!

BlackGatomon: And then we add in a plot twist to make you all scream at us for the cliffhangers!

-_-;;; Indeed. **Here's my disclaimer as usual: I don't own anything except maybe the plotline… but eh you never know. **

Italics- Thoughts and Memories 

**Bold- Actions and Important stuff! (like 'shoom')**

                                                     ** ****Chapter 1******

        "Earth to Takato!" cried Lee Jenrya, trying to get his friend's attention. Too late, Matsuki Takato was already gone from the earth, watching something behind Lee. Lee waved a hand in front of his face. "Takato!!"

  Takato blinked, startled. "Nani?"

   "You were in dreamland again," sighed Lee. "It's your turn."

  "Huh? Oh right!" Takato smiled sheepishly and put down his next card, which wasn't a very good one. Lee shook his head. "What are you looking at Takato?"

  Takato had resumed watching something through the peephole in the purple dinosaur they played in. They were playing the Digimon Card game, as usual. It was September and school had resumed; September meant cool breezes and freezing nights, new beginnings. Leaves skittered across the walkways and streets as breezes blew by, rousing them from their places and sending them into the wind. Shinjuku was always so lovely in September.

  However, that was not what Takato was looking at, not at all. Something else that captured Takato's attention, and that's pretty good considering he's got a pretty small attention span.

  Lee turned to see what Takato was looking at, and just got a glimpse of it before it was little too far to the left to see. Takato could still watch it though. Lee smiled thoughtfully. "You're looking at the Makino girl right?"

  "Mmmhmm…"

    A week ago someone new had moved into the Shinjuku district, in the deserted mansion hidden by townhouses. The family was pretty famous, Ms. Makino was a super model that had gotten a better job in little Shinjuku. The woman was gorgeous, and she had a daughter too, to most equally beautiful. That was the thing. The daughter was nicknamed the Digimon Queen, one of the best card players in all of Japan, winning many tournaments and only defeated once, by a boy who had disappeared after the tournament.

   The girl's skin was eerily white and seemed to glow against the colorful background of Shinjuku. Her eyes were violet and serene, her hair a gentle red, streaked with gold highlights and pulled up in a spiked ponytail. She wore a black leather jacket, and just barely visible under it was a broken heart T-shirt. She wore jeans and a belt, and clipped to her belt was a D-arc, a blue one. 

   "I win Takato," said Lee, making Takato jump. Lee laughed a little and Ruki disappeared from view. Takato looked back at Lee. "You did?"

  "Hai," said Lee. "You were daydreaming again, about Ruki."

  "Oh…" said Takato, for that was all he could say. Ruki fascinated him in more ways than one, and whenever she passed Takato would pause to watch her go by. She was a tamer, just like him, he had seen her digimon, the equally mysterious Renamon. 

  Lee jumped down out of the dinosaur. "Come on Takato, it's getting late, and we need to patrol."

  Takato jumped down. "All right. Hey, Jen?"

  "Call me Lee, Takato. I don't like Jenrya…" 

   "Fine, Lee. Do you think… do you think we'll see her?"

   Lee shrugged. "I don't know Takato. She's really distant and unpredictable, plus she's creepy. You never know, she could be the enemy."

   Takato shook his head. _She'll never be the enemy… _

 Lee pursed his lips and smiled. "You know what Takato? I think you **like **her."

   Takato jumped a little, eyes wide. "N-no! Of course not!" Lee laughed at his excuse, he already knew the real answer. "Whatever you say Goggle boy."

   Takato stopped. That was her name for him… He had run into her only once before, a dark night when he was patrolling the city, looking for any sign of a wild one. That was the closet he had ever seen her… 

    _Guilmon by his side, he wandered the streets of Shinjuku. "Pretty quiet tonight huh Guilmon?"_

_  "Yea," said his dino friend, slightly shivering as a cold wind passed. "I guess no more digimon want to come and play anymore…"_

_  Takato laughed. "Maybe so…"_

_   They continued walking through the streets. It was pretty quiet, occasionally a car would wiz by, lights slicing through the darkness. The street lamps gave off a gentle glow so you could see the walkway before you, but other than that it was cold and dark in the park. Takato walked with Guilmon back to Guilmon's shed, where Takato kept him during the weekdays. _

_  Suddenly, Guilmon stopped in the glowing light of a streetlight a few paces forward. Takato stopped a little after him, turning to ask, "What is it boy?"_

_  Guilmon's eyes went viral. "Something's following us."_

_  Takato whirled around behind him, but nothing was there. He chuckled nervously. "You're hearing things. Come on."_

_  "No," said Guilmon, still rooted, eyes narrowed and watching carefully. "I'm sure of it…"_

_  Takato jumped behind Guilmon and shuddered. "Is it friendly?"_

_  "Maybe…" Guilmon murmured, barely a whisper. The harsh wind blew, knocking the heat from Takato's body, leaving him shivering. After the wind came silence, the whole city seemed dead. _

_   Takato shuddered as he clung to his digimon, frozen in place in the world of silence. He had never seen the city so dead before, not even the stars twinkled above them. _

_  **Shp, shp, shp.**_

****_Footsteps. Soft, slow footsteps, heading toward them. Takato's blood ran cold. "Guilmon what's that?"_

_   Something fast leapt from tree to tree, following the footsteps. The owner of them suddenly came into view as a dark shadow. Then something tall and graceful, with pointed ears, leapt onto the top of the streetlight, silhouetted by the moonlight. Takato braced himself. "Who are you?" _

_  The shadow paused in front of him, shrouded in the darkness of the wall. Slowly, it stepped into the streetlight where he stood, and Takato gasped. "Ruki?"_

_  Ruki stood, a serene expression on her face. She smelled lightly of violets, the wind ruffling her hair gracefully, and her skin glowing in such a way that you would think she was a ghost. "Do not get in my way goggle boy," she said, her voice soft and harsh at the time, her breath swirling in little clouds and disintegrating softly. The silhouette from the top of the streetlight landed softly behind her. She did not flinch. "You are in way over your head, it could be dangerous…"_

_  "I…" Takato had no voice. He was spellbound by her mysterious aura, speechless as she brushed past him softly and walked off, the yellow fox following her. Guilmon growled softly as she left, not at all moved by her coldness. _

_  Things resumed around Takato, cars rushed past once more, and the wind blew its mournful song. Ruki was gone, although Takato would have loved to follow her. Next time, he assured himself, he would follow her, and learn all about her, whether she liked it or not…_

   "Takato! You're spacing out again!!" Lee cried, shaking Takato. Lee sighed, "Geez, I mention Ruki and you go off into dreamland again…"

  "Maybe that could be used to our advantage!" said Terriermon, grinning. Takato put his hands on his hips. "Hey!!"

  "Hey Chumly!!" cried Hirokazu, jogging up to catch up with them, Kenta running along at a much slower pace behind him. "Are you two talking about the Digimon Queen?"

    Lee nodded; Takato shook his head. Hirokazu laughed. "She's awesome! I'd like to fight her one day… maybe even beat her!"

  "In your dreams Hiro…" panted Kenta, catching up to them. "I heard only Akiyama Ryo was the one who actually beat her!!" 

   "Really?" said Takato, interested. "What happened? How did she react?"

   Kenta adjusted his glasses, glad he was in the conversation. "No one knows except those who witnessed it, but they aren't talking, they only say it was amazing! The thing is, after he beat her, he disappeared. No one knows where he went to, but he's been gone for the past 3 years or so…"

   "Wow…" said Lee. "I wonder what happened?"

   Hirokazu shuddered, but not from the wind. "We've heard from a lot of people about his disappearance… they say that she… killed him." Kenta gulped, glasses lopsided on his face. "She's not exactly a great loser is she?" 

  "She wouldn't do that!" Takato blurted out. Takato blushed as his face dawned realization and stuttered. "That's too harsh… I mean…"

   Hirokazu had a smug grin on his face. "And how would you know Chumly?"  
    Takato hung his head. "I-I met her once…"

    The two boys eyes went as wide as dish plates. Kenta was totally speechless, and Hirokazu gasped. "Seriously?! Where was I?"

  "A few days ago… she told me to stay out of her way, it's dangerous…" said Takato. He had already told Lee, and he stood calmly as the two went ballistic. "Really?! It's a warning… maybe she doesn't want you to get hurt… or maybe something's coming, like a friendly warning to another tamer!! Dude that is so cool!!" exclaimed Hirokazu. Kenta was equally excited. "Yea!"

   Takato blushed. "Y-you think so?"  
  "I mean think about it," said Hirokazu, putting his hands behind his head. "Maybe she likes you…" Hirokazu grinned. "Ah, whatever. Come on Kenta, let's go!"

  The two ran off, leaving Lee thinking and Takato blushing. "I wonder Takato… was it a sign of courtship… or is she really trying to tell us something?"

  "She told me to get out of the way," said Takato. "Maybe she wants to crush whatever's coming on her own…"

    Guilmon stared out into the distance. _Whatever she wants or knows isn't good… I can feel it…_

                                                            ********************

Creepy eh? Momentai, the next chapter will be out soon! Rukato Itsumademo!!


	2. Ice and Frail

Legend of the Digimon Queen

Intro: Konnichiwa again Rukato lovers!! Remember that little plot twist we told you about? Guess what, its about to get bigger.

BlackGatomon: And eviler too! This probably won't have too happy of an ending, let me tell you. 

  Blackgatomon, be a good kitty and eat your noodles, do not reveal secrets of my devious story in the beginning, please. Anyway, needless to say I'm very happy you like the story, arigato for reviewing! Gomenasai for making Ruki a little too cold for your tastes… but it must be done. Oh yea… kinda forgot to mention this in the summary… there is slight Ryo bashing in this story (ack! Don't kill me please!!) Ryo lovers bear with me!! 

  **Disclaimer: As usual I do not own anything digimon, Bandai does. Wish I did though ^.^ wouldn't that be fun?**

Italics- thoughts, memories 

**Bold- Actions and important things (notice the disclaimer is in bold!)**

**                                                            ****Chapter 2******

    Her reddish hair, her soft, snowy white skin that gave off a beautiful glow against the moonlight… and her stunning violet eyes. She was in his arms, and he could feel her slender body against his own. She looked at him with those eyes he admired so and he stared back. Closer… closer… they leaned forward and then… 

  **TWAP! **

      Takato sat up abruptly, knocked from his daydream. Ms. Asaki had slapped her ruler on the desk, and was now glaring reproachfully at him. "Mr. Matsuki, please stop daydreaming!"

   Takato slumped down into his chair with pleading eyes. "Gomenasai Ms. Asaki… it won't happen again, I promise."

   Ms. Asaki rose back to her regular standing position and continued to walk down the aisles. Takato let out a sigh of relief and struggled to erase what was on his paper. The problem with his daydreaming was that usually he drew what he daydreamed, and on his test paper was a drawing of Ruki in a nice dress.

  He paused before erasing to admire his drawing. He had done the sketch so carefully it actually looked almost mirror image to his memory of her. With a sigh he erased it, unfortunately Ms. Asaki didn't like doodles.

   School ended very quickly afterward, thank goodness. Takato bounded out of school happy the weekend had come once more. Not only did it mean more free time, it meant long afternoons searching for a glimpse of Ruki. 

   He preferred searching for her alone, mainly so he could think without the distraction of Hirokazu and Kenta. Apparently his friends had other ideas. Lee ran up to him, Terriermon on his shoulder, and grabbed Takato's backpack strap and yanked him back. "Where are you going Takato?"

     "Home, where else?" said a feminine voice behind them. Both boys whirled around to see Katou Juri standing before them with her friend, giggling. "Boys are so weird, they always ask stupid questions!"

   She and her friend giggled and walked off, leaving both boys with red faces. Takato's face was only red because of embarrassment however Lee was a different matter. Takato got over his annoyance and turned to answer Lee. "I…" 

   Takato stopped. He had never told Lee about his sudden disappearances. Throughout the week after school he had dashed out of school searching for Ruki, leaving Lee behind. He felt bad, poor Lee was probably feeling left out. After thinking a moment, he decided to tell his friend what was going on. "Lee… you know how I disappear after school?"

  "Hai, you've been doing it this past week," said Lee, puzzled. Takato took a deep breath. "Gomenasai, I've never told you… but really I've been out…"

  "Spit it out Gogglehead," said Terriermon playfully. Takato froze and turned bright red. "I'vebeenoutlookingforRuki!"

    "Come again?" Lee gave him a quizzical look, but allowed the slammed sentence to process through his head. The answer popped up a nanosecond later. "You've been out looking for Ruki? Nani? Why?"  
  Takato's face turned redder than before. "I… um… I…" He could only stare at his feet and allow Lee time to piece two and two together. Lee stared at him quizzically, in all his life he had never seen Takato's face this flushed… ok, except maybe at gym, but that was a totally different thing.

   Lee's mind dwelled on what he had just said, and it soon came to him, and to Terriermon too. "You have a crush on the Digimon Queen?!!" they blurted out at the same time. 

  Takato looked up, his face pale as he clapped a hand over both Tamer and partner's mouth. "Sh-h!"

    Without waiting for a response, Takato dragged them to a shaded area behind the school and released his death grip on their jaws. Lee rubbed his jaw while Terriermon could only gape at Takato in utter surprise. "Takato, I always knew you were weird, but now I think you're insane!!" cried Terriermon.

   Takato looked a little hurt. Lee came to his side. "Do you really like Ruki?"  
  Takato couldn't look at his friend. Lee sighed. "You know Takato, she's very rough. Are you sure?"  
  Takato could only nod. Lee pondered this for a moment. "Ignore Terriermon, though he's just as shocked as I am. I thought you liked her… but I figured that wasn't true since you've had a crush on Juri since second grade!"

  "Oh… that…" was all Takato could say. Indeed, he did have a crush on Juri, but that had faded once Ruki came, and he found out (without Lee knowing) that Lee liked Juri too.

  Lee smiled. "Well then, that's settled and I understand." He began to push Takato toward the street. "You go off and find her alright? I don't want to get in the way."

  Terriermon was about to protest, but Lee covered his mouth. Takato looked back at Lee with a grateful glance and disappeared into the city streets. Lee sighed and released his hand from Terriermon's mouth. "There goes the bravest kid I ever met."

   "And the most insane! The Digimon Queen? He's flipped!!!"

    "Terriermon!!!"

                                                            ********

      At least five days of wandering through the streets and you have some idea of how difficult it was to find a ten year old girl, no matter how famous, in the crowds of Shinjuku. Takato had no idea where to look, and she left him no clues. On his searches his percentages of seeing her were very low, and he had seen her only once. 

   Yet to be sure, Takato could no longer deny that he did like Ruki. He realized it himself one night, lying on his back, her face right in front of him and yet not in front of him. Daydreaming, dreaming, they were the same thing, eyes open or no, and each dream had Ruki in it. He longed to see her smile, and yet he felt it strange that he had only seen her at least once and yet he had fallen in love with her.

    He decided to go to the park, where he usually started his search. Unknown to him, Ruki was usually right under his nose, just hidden. That was intentional for Ruki, she didn't like to be seen, being seen meant reporters and annoying rookies wanting to battle her. 

   She was wandering around the park, trying to find a new hiding place. The last one, up in the trees, didn't work out too well when some little kid bird watching saw her. What a weird surprise that was. Ruki shuddered at the thought of it as she walked around the park. _"You need to go out and get some exercise! It's good for you!" Ha! If only you knew mother… grandmother…_

   Something gray caught her eyes and she paused. She turned and saw a mossy staircase that headed up a small hill and into a shaded area. Her lips curved into a small smile. _Perfect._

After making sure no one was around she quickly and quietly hurried up the stairs. She emerged in a very shaded area, near a small shed with bars on it. _This will do very well… Ruki you have hit the jackpot!_

She walked around the shed, careful not to make a sound. Next to hiding and card playing, being silent was another thing Ruki was good at. She could sneak up on a rabbit without being seen or heard. She managed to get to the door of the shed with little disturbance. She pulled on the bar and the door slid open with ease. She tiptoed inside and was suddenly aware she was not alone. 

  _Oh great…_She squinted through the darkness, and her eyes rested on a rather large figure in the corner, obviously sleeping. It definitely wasn't human either. _A digimon?_

She crept closer to it ever so slowly, and silently peered over at the 'thing' lying there. Definitely asleep and not to mention a digimon too. _Now what idiot leaves his digimon in a shed? Honestly…_

The digimon stirred, it could smell her. She jumped back a little as the digimon flipped over and yawned. It turned around, and before its eyes could adjust to the darkness, Ruki pounced on it, scaring the living daylights out of the thing.

   "GAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

    "Guilmon!!!" cried Takato, a few feet from the stairs to the shed. _Oh crap! Guilmon!!! _Heart racing and running as fast as his legs could carry him, he raced up the stairs and threw open the shed door. "Guil-!!"

   Takato stopped dead in mid-sentence. Around Guilmon's neck was Ruki, who had obviously spooked his poor digimon. Guilmon's eyes were wide as he tried to buck her off his back, but she had a death grip on his neck.

  "Ruki?! What're you doing?"

  In surprise, Ruki released Guilmon and Guilmon stopped thrashing. Both turned around to see Takato in the doorway, surprised and relieved at the same time. Guilmon smiled and bounded to him. "Takatomon!!"

  "Takatomon?" she questioned Guilmon's English.

   Takato had no time to reply, Guilmon had pounced on him and started licking him. "Takatomon!!! You're here! I was sleeping and had this dream about bread and suddenly something jumped on me and you came and now everything's all better!!!"  
   "That's… great… Guilmon…" said Takato, trying to wiggle free from his over friendly digimon's grasp. "Guilmon get off!"

  "Gomenasai Takato…" said Guilmon, getting off his tamer. Ruki raised an eyebrow, this was the Gogglehead's digimon? After seeing him the night she had thought him much more umm… mature.

   Takato patted Guilmon happily. "I'm glad you're alright boy." He spotted Ruki on the rough ground, watching the two with a surprised look. "Ruki…"

  Ruki's eyes glittered in the flickering light. Slowly she rose and slid out of the shadows, "Gomenasai for interrupting. I was just looking for a place to hide."

   Takato opened his mouth to say something, then though the better of it and closed it. They stood, staring at one another, Guilmon at Takato's side, sniffing the air. Takato sighed after a moment, making Ruki jump.

  "Why are you hiding Ruki?"

"You would too if you were a famous card player. Almost every person here in Shinjuku that likes Digimon wants to get a piece of me… it's annoying," she said, her hand slowly brushing the wall. 

  "Couldn't you beat them?"

  "I could indeed, but not all at once, and not for the rest of my life," she said. "As I said, gomenasai. I'll leave." She turned and started to walk out of the shed. 

  "No! Wait!" he reached out to her and his hand snagged the back of her jacket. She turned around, and Takato smiled. "You can stay here… and hide… if you want."

  Ruki smiled slightly, causing heat to course through his veins like a rocket. He hoped his face wasn't as red as it seemed. "Arigato Gogglehead."

  Guilmon suddenly growled. Takato blinked. "What's wrong?"

  "A digimon…" growled Guilmon, eyes going viral. Takato pulled out his D-arc. "He's really close! Let's go!"

   Guilmon was already out the door. Ruki followed Takato down the stairs to the path, and suddenly collapsed. Takato did a double take and gasped. "Ruki?!"

   Ruki was on all fours, breathing heavily, her eyes wide in shock. One hand gripped her jacket right where her heart was. Takato was immediately at her side. "Ruki what's wrong with you?? Are you alright??"

   Ruki was still bent over in pain, fighting whatever it was to stay inside. Suddenly she was very dizzy, and her world began to spin. _No! Stop it!!!_

Takato grabbed her hands and pulled her up. "Ruki??"

   There were two Takatos as Ruki looked up at him, the pain slowly going away. Her vision cleared, and suddenly the pain was gone from her chest. She sighed and Takato held her close. "Ruki you scared me! I thought you were going to die or you were hurt or…"

  Ruki broke away hastily. "No, no, it's alright, honest. Pain attacks, it usually happens…"

  Takato nodded, but she could tell he still worried about her. She sighed again, thankful he did not question her sudden illness. "Listen, I'd better go… arigato for the hiding place!" 

   And like the wind she was gone. Takato ran his fingers through his messy hair. "Ja ne… Ruki san…"

                                                            *************

    Takato found her the next day, sitting in the corner of the shed, hugging her knees. She was out of the light, her snowy skin slightly visible in the darkness. He could see the sparkle of light reflected off her eyes as she looked up at him. "Good morning Ruki-san."

   She rose and came into the light. Takato noticed she looked much paler than before, if that was possible. Her eyes seemed to be a tad opaque too, but he dismissed this. It wasn't his business, besides he didn't want to anger her. The last thing he wanted was for her to stop using the shed as a 'hiding place'. "Konnichiwa, Dino Boy's asleep."

 "Oh. Where's Renamon?" questioned Takato, realizing he had not seen her quick digimon pal since that moonlit night under the street lamp. 

  Ruki pursed her lips. "She'll be back, she's probably looking for wild ones…"

    As if on cue, Renamon materialized behind Ruki, causing Takato to jump in surprise. Ruki didn't flinch, instead she turned and grinned slightly. "Anything?"

  "No." Renamon's expression was emotionless as she spoke. "I see you have found new hiding place."  
  "Hai, Gogglehead has been gracious enough to allow us the opportunity to hide here from the annoying public," she said, spitting anger as she mentioned 'public'. He knew she did not like crowds of people at all. 

  Renamon bowed to Takato. "Arigato."

   "No problem," said Takato, smiling. Guilmon mumbled in his sleep and turned over. Renamon jumped back, posed and ready for anything suspicious. "At ease Renamon, it is only Gogglehead's digimon."

    Renamon relaxed and laid down beside the red digimon. She fell asleep as soon as her eyes closed, which was almost a second after. Ruki turned to Takato. "She'll sleep for a while, she's had a rough night."

   Ruki brushed past Takato and plodded down the mossy steps that led to the path. Takato walked after her. "Where are you going?"  
  "What, do you want to come with me?" she glanced at him in slight annoyance. _What is with this guy? He can't seem to leave me alone… oh well, I have to bear with him, he did allow me to use his 'shed'. _

 Takato blushed slightly. "Do you mind?"

 Ruki sighed and shook her head. "I'm going to my house to get something to eat is all."

  "Why don't you just come to the bread shop?" said Takato, brightening. Ruki nodded thoughtfully. "All right."

   Takato smiled and led the way, making sure she was well hidden from the public, which wasn't easy. Twice he had to explain to passerby who thought she was the digimon queen that she was only his 'cousin' just to protect her. Ruki watched him explain that to a small boy. _Why is he doing this? Is he really doing this… all for me?_

Takato beamed at Ruki. _Well that little charade was a success! _ He continued to lead her though the streets. She was silent, so Takato would occasionally try to spark a conversation. "Are you all right?"  
  Ruki blinked at him and nodded. "Why do you ask?"

  Takato's expression softened. _I'm still worried about her… she's so frail… I want to protect her so badly. _"It's just about what happened yesterday, you really scared me."

  "I didn't mean to," she gazed at him, her own expression reflecting his. _Nobody's ever been this worried about me before… except my family… if you can call it a family. _"It just happens."

  Takato looked up at her. "Why?"

  Ruki stared at her feet. They had stopped walking, and were now standing in the alley next to the shop. Takato pulled her close. "You don't have to tell me now… you can tell me later ok? But I'm here for you, I'd like to be your friend."

   _ Friend. _The word hung in her head like a rain cloud in the sky. The word slightly bothered her she had never had friends, just acquaintances. And here was this boy, popping up on her, that had extended his hand, willingly excepting any challenge that may befall him when befriending the Digimon Queen. This was all very new to her, but a question lingered in her head. Why would he ever want to befriend her? 

   Ruki sighed, breathing in the scent of his jacket. He smelt like bread of course, he worked in a bread shop. His hand was bending her head into his chest, her own slender hands at her sides. Her hands were not her own anymore though, not the frail graceful ones that always obeyed. While her head comprehended the world around her, her hands acted as if they had a brain, and like little snakes slowly slid around his waist.

   Takato put his head in her hair, his calm breath blowing a few strands forward and back. Forward and back. It was strange to him that he was hugging someone, someone he never knew or would know, yet he wanted so badly to protect her, to comfort, to love, like she was a child that was new to the world. But she was teenager, just like him, and yet she seemed so young and misunderstood. 

   She broke away and her eyes met his. He locked her into the gaze, connecting her eyes to his in such a way that she could not turn. Dazzling those eyes were, sweet and serene, yet full of mystery and slightly clouded. He pulled a strand of hair behind her ear; she neither flinched nor moved. She felt her hands tingle as Takato's rose to her face and gently graced her pale thin face. For such a cold person, she was warm and light headed now. He leaned forward slowly.

     Ruki could feel her heart pounding, but suddenly her vision blurred. She felt like she was sinking into abyss, and before she knew it, she was on the ground, breathing hard. Takato's eyes were wide as he quickly was at her side. "Ruki! What's wrong?"

    Ruki's hands immediately clutched her head, which pounded and felt like it would split in two. As she wailed in pain, Takato froze, not knowing what to do. _Oh god… what's wrong? I feel so helpless…_

And suddenly, Ruki was out like a light. Takato watched her fall to the ground as she lost her already tedious grip on consciousness. Takato gasped. "Ruki-san?!" 

   Without thinking Takato pulled her into his arms, and carried her into the house. His face was as pale and white as hers as he entered the shop, his mother cutting up bread for rolling into buns in the corner. "Well hello Takat-

  Her knife clattered on the tiled floor. "My god! What happened?!"

   Takato froze. He didn't know. He didn't know what had happened to her, how could he explain this to her parents? "I… Mom… she… I…"

   Mei didn't wait for an answer. She seized the pale girl from him and immediately descended up the stairs, Takato silently following behind her. He didn't understand it, how could someone so seemingly cold and emotionless be so frail?

                                                *************

Alas, we must stop. Gomenasai, Ruki's a tad too frail eh? It'll all come together, you'll understand later, I promise!

Blackgatomon: Yea! And don't forget to bring me candy when you review! Please? ^.^

  
   


	3. White Feathers

Legend of the Digimon Queen

Intro: Gomenasai this took so long to get out, school's a nightmare, no time for writing. Tsk tsk. Anyway, do I have you all boggled? Good! This time around the question you've all been asking is looming, is Ruki friend or foe? And is Takato way over his head in falling in love with the Digimon Queen?

BlackGatomon: Yay!! Candy! Arigatou!!! 

   Ummm… arigatou for pointing out that Ruki isn't frail Mr. Right, but it's a fanfiction, sorry for the inconvenience but I do have a good reason!! I promise!! R+R!

Italics- Thoughts, memories Bold-Actions, important stuff 

**Disclaimer: Don't own digimon, not even my partner (pathetic no?)!**

**                                                            ****Chapter 3******

_Everything hurts… _

     Everything was hot and utterly uncomfortable, pain seemed to flow through every vein in Ruki's body. She winced, which felt like a thousand needles raining down on her. Whatever she was lying on was soft, and something cool and wet was frequently touching her forehead…

   She didn't want to move for fear of sending the needles shooting through her body. But curiosity got the better of her, and she could hear voices, and not her mom or grandmother's… or even Renamon's. _Where am I?_

Slowly she attempted to open an eye, managing to do it without the pain. It took a minute for her vision to clear, and once it did she realized she wasn't at home at all or the hospital either. The door to the room was in the corner, and someone had just been through it, speaking in a low voice to another person. Daylight filtered into the room from the window and sliding glass door to her right, and the red framed bed she was on was blue and up against the left wall. Across the room stood a desk, which was cluttered with papers and digimon cards, a wastebasket near full next to it. A closet hung ajar next to the desk and the floor was littered slightly with clothes and more digimon cards. 

    She was obviously on a bunk bed, she was too far up and near the ceiling for it to be a regular bed. Slowly she moved her fingers, testing the waters. Ever so slowly she pulled herself up to a sitting position, and found to her surprise she wasn't in her old clothes either, instead she was in someone's blue pajamas. She looked frantically about the room and found her clothes and hair band folded neatly on a toy box next to the bed. Gently she reached up to touch her red hair and found that it wasn't even in its usual spiked ponytail. _What's going on? _ She sighed and carefully got off the bed, the pain washing away with the morning light. 

   "You're awake," said a voice behind her. Ruki whirled around in surprise to see Takato standing in the doorway, a wet washcloth in one hand. He smiled serenely barely able to keep himself from hugging her. "You should get back in bed, you need rest."

  "Where's Renamon?" 

 "I'm right here," Renamon materialized beside her. "Takato was gracious enough to bring you here for recovery, you fainted."

    _Renamon had called him Takato instead of 'Gogglehead'… he has gained her trust, usually she only calls people by the names I give them… Ruki nodded and got back in bed. Takato handed over the washcloth. "Put that on your head, it'll keep you cool. We phoned your parents, they should be here soon to pick you up."_

  Ruki watched the boy turned and walk toward the door. Right before he came to the door she spoke. "Arigatou…" 

  Takato turned to her and smiled, only this time his smile was different. Ruki couldn't quite place his expression, and then suddenly it hit her. It was love.

                                                ******************

     "I don't know Takato…" Lee rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd be careful, if there's anything we've learned from trusting mysterious individuals it's that they usually turn evil…"

  Takato had just informed Lee on the recent events that had occurred. He was very worried by now about his sweet Ruki, who he had found serene and much nicer than he had expected. Lee had pondered these events for quite some time.

  "She'll never be our antagonist," Takato blurted out. Guilmon walked along beside Takato, turning the conversation over in his head. Ruki was quite the character.

   Terriermon waved his hand. "Momentai Takato! She's probably just got some health condition…"

  "But I'm worried," said Takato, suddenly troubled. "She won't tell me anything about her sudden 'pain attacks'. I'm scared for her, I'm afraid the next time she faints she'll die…"

   "Isn't it odd," said Lee. "That she's very cold yet she's so frail? I still think we have the evil who's been driving us off the wall."

    "Maybe…" said Takato, but he was not convinced. "But I still think she's on our side…"

  Lee shook his head. "I hope you're not over your head in this one Takato… love is very dangerous when it comes to Digimon."

  "Why do you think she's the enemy?!"

  "I'm just saying that there is evidence that could point that she's the enemy," shrugged Lee. "I don't know. But I can't seem to see her as anything but the enemy, I mean think about it, she's so frail, she might need energy and is feeding off the digimon data or something, or maybe she's possessed by a digimon. Think about it Takato, there is reasonable doubt."

  Takato stomped his foot. "I'm telling you, she's not the enemy! She can't be! She's too frail and sweet to do anything of the sort!"

  "You're just saying that because you love her Takato," said Lee calmly. "Think about it Takato, what if she's seducing you?"  
  "She'd never do that!! I'm the only friend she's ever had in the world!! If you two don't believe me that she's innocent, why I'll-I'll prove it to you!!!" And with that, Takato stormed off, Guilmon following behind him. 

  Lee rubbed his temples. "I don't know Takato, I just don't know…"

   "He really likes her Lee," said Terriermon, staring after Takato. "And reasoning with a love sick boy is beyond anyone's ability…"

   "I'll show him…" muttered Takato as he cursed under his breath, storming through the slick city streets. But as he calmed down, he suddenly began to see Lee's point, something was definitely wrong with Ruki. 

  At this point in time Guilmon spoke. "Takato… I believe you."

  "Nani?"

  "I believe that Ruki isn't the enemy," said Guilmon, smiling. "I've been thinking it over a lot, and I know how much you trust her. Ruki would never betray you, she likes you too much, although she won't admit it. I can see it in her eyes."

   Takato softened as he stared at his digimon. Of course Guilmon believed him, he was always the only one who ever believed him when things went horribly wrong. But somehow this time it truly comforted him. "Arigatou boy," he said softly, patting the digimon's head. Guilmon giggled softly. 

  _"…she likes you too much, although she won't admit it…"  These words bounced around Takato's head as he walked like a ping pong ball that was hit way too hard. Every wall it slammed hard, it had impact on him. Was it possible that he had coaxed Ruki into loving him back?_

                                                ****************

    Ruki lie underneath her covers, shivering in a sea of pain. Renamon came to her side suddenly and quietly. "Ruki…"

  Ruki sighed, trying to stop the pain raging through her body. It was like something wanted to emerge from her body, something big. But she couldn't let it, she didn't know if it was friend or foe, she didn't want whatever it was to hurt Takato.

  She blinked. _Takato…Renamon gently stroked her hair, trying to ease her into a painless slumber. "Hang in there Ruki…"_

   "It hurts…"

  "I know." 

 "Do you know why?"  
  "If I could I would tell you," said Renamon softly. "But I know as well as you do we both don't."

  Ruki cringed as a thousand needles shattered in her legs. She wailed softly, and as suddenly as it had come, it stopped. She relaxed, her tense muscles slowly relaxing into their normal position. _I wonder… how long my body will last… I know I have a purpose, the reason I was born here, but I can't remember…_

_  Renamon smiled. "It stopped…" Ruki sat up slowly and shakily went to the window. She studied the glittering city lights, the townhouses blazing with little fireflies. She sighed and leaned her head against the window. She was confused, odd feelings shifted through her and crawled through her body leaving a trail of wonderful feelings behind it. But why?_

   Renamon was a few feet behind her. Taking a step forward she said, "Ruki, I think you're in love…"

   "No I'm not," she said, certain of herself, without taking her eyes from the warm lights. They reminded her, of his eyes, warm with red and orange and yellow. She longed for those eyes, his embrace when she felt no one would ever come to her. 

  "Ruki… you're hiding."

    "Hiding what?" Ruki turned, finally breaking her lock on the lights. "What's wrong?"

  "Ruki you're not supposed to love…"

 "I can't love, you and I both know I can't feel love or regret," said Ruki slowly, remembering. She had come from the Digital World with a purpose, and whoever had sent her here told her she could never love or regret, and if she learned how to by some miraculous way terrible, terrible things would happen.

   Renamon stared in silence, afraid Ruki might die if she as so as murmured the words: _But you do love him._

_  Ruki cringed. "Another wild one… we better take care of it…"_

  "You sure you can?"

  Ruki righted herself and got a firm footing. "Hai."

        "Ahahaha!" screeched Lady Devimon proudly, batting her wings to drive all the debris at them. Takato and Lee stood, bracing themselves as this new Digimon attempted to destroy everything in sight. "I have not come for you Tamers, I have come for something else. But since you are so willing to fight I might as well kill you so you won't turn into a pest!"

   "Guilmon!!" cried Takato, bringing up his D-arc. "Matrix Digivolution activate!"

 Guilmon matrix digivolve to…

 WarGrowlmon!!!  
  


Terriermon matrix digivolve to…

Rapidmon!

   LadyDevimon grinned. "Ooh I'm so scared, an over stuffed rabbit and huge red dinosaur! Whatever shall I do? Darkness Wave!" 

   "Oh yea you pesky little bat girl hypocrite?!" cried Rapidmon. "Eat bullets! Rapid Fire!!!"

    LadyDevimon was caught in the downpour of bullets but not defeated. "Black Wing!" 

    "Oh yea well I-!" Rapidmon was thrown over backward and sent right into a wall. "Rapidmon!!" Lee gasped in horror and ran over to his digimon's side. "Are you alright?"  
  "I'm just fine," said Rapdimon, wincing. "Momentai Lee."

    LadyDevimon took this distraction to her advantage, swooping down and snatching up Takato. She held him high above her, red claws threatening to wrench his neck apart. "Well it looks like it's just me and you little gogglehead…"

   Takato tried to scream, but nothing came out. Struggling he tried to escape her clutches, which didn't work at all. LadyDevimon seemed to be waiting for something, a smug grin upon her face, her eyes fixed on the city streets.

   WarGrowlmon growled. "Leave my tamer alone!! Atomic Blaster!!!" LadyDevimon merely dodged it, and WarGrowlmon hurled himself at her, which in this case was a very stupid thing to do. LadyDevimon shot him with a BlackWing right in the chest and he fell back to earth, dedigivolving and hitting the ground with an earsplitting crack.

  "Guilmon! No!!"  
  Guilmon lie lifeless on the ground, bleeding. His figure was slightly beginning to fade away. Takato gasped and started to cry. "Guilmon…"

   Lee looked up and roused Rapidmon. "Rapidmon get up! We have to help!" And quickly he was struck down also, LadyDevimon struck him with her long red claws, causing him to faint. "Lee!!"

   LadyDevimon refocused now on her hostage. "Nothing can save you my dear, there is no one left…" She slowly began to squeeze the life out of him, licking her lips. "Master will be pleased…"

  "Put him down!!" 

     LadtDevimon's head snapped around to see the new intruder. Ruki stood on the ground, staring with a fiery gaze at her opponent. "Put him down, and no one gets hurt…"

  "Ha! Makino Ruki!" shrieked LadyDevimon with laughter. "You dare to challenge me? Darkness Wave!!"

  The attack sped at incredible speed toward her head, and Takato shut his eyes. _Oh god this is it… Ruki only tilted her head, and the attack erupted behind her, not even fazing her. Lady Devimon hung in the air in shock. "You… you…"_

  "Hai, me," said Ruki slowly. "And Renamon." Renamon leapt onto the scene and Ruki said her famous words, "Walk all over her."

   Renamon grinned slyly and took to the air as Ruki whipped out her D-arc. She slashed the card right as Renamon did a flip. LadyDevimon and Takato watched in silence as this took place. "Matrix Digivolution activate!!"

Renamon matrix digivolve to…

Taomon!

"Talisman of Light!" Taomon whipped out her long wooden staff and slashed it at the evil digimon, knocking her square in the chest. LadyDevimon released her grip on Takato, who fell a few feet into the air before Taomon caught him. "That was amazing!"  
  "Thank me later," said Taomon, dodging the barrage of black wings LadyDevimon had sent out. Taomon set him down beside Lee and the two defeated digimon, and in an instant took off. Ruki stood in front of them. "You guys alright?"  
  Lee looked up. "Ruki?"

    Ruki grinned. "In the flesh." 

  'Thousand Cards!!!" screamed Taomon, hurling hundreds of little red cards at LadyDevimon, who dodged them all. Ruki's eyes narrowed. "Play time's over LadyDevimon… Digimodify! Ghoulmon activate!!"

   Taomon's eyes went viral and red. "Death Arrow!!!" She cried, shooting the dark attack right at LadyDevimon. LadyDevimon grunted as it struck her in the chest, her data slowly disintegrating. She turned her head feebly toward Ruki and muttered, "Black Wing…"

The attack came right at Ruki, but something very strange happened. Ruki's eyes narrowed, her vision blurred and her eyes turned red. Right before the attack struck, her arms shot out in front of her, and rebounded the attack right back at LadyDevimon.        LadyDevimon wailed in pain and cursed, "My Master will come after you Makino Ruki! He knows where you are hiding now! Long live the Darkness!!!" 

   With that, she died, and her data was absorbed by Taomon. Taomon dedigivolved, and Ruki sunk to her knees, breathing heavily. Slowly, she raised her hand and somehow healed Takato, Lee, Guilmon, and Terriermon. Takato and Lee stared at her in shock. 

     Takato rose slowly, and shakily walked over to her. She was shaking uncontrollably, as if trying to fight something… something that wanted desperately to come out. His hand reached out to her, to rest on her vibrant red hair. "Ruki… I…" _I can't bear to see her like this…_

   "Don't touch me!" She said harshly, the warning glare in her eyes again. Takato froze as she slowly rose to her feet, clutching her chest. Something was on her back… a nub of white feathers. 

  And as suddenly as those feathers appeared, they disappeared, and Takato wondered if he had seen them at all. Ruki turned to the two boys. "I don't want either of you to come anywhere near me _ever again!"_

   She stalked off, leaving them very amazed and at the same time, very confused. 

                                                            *************

  Dun, dun, dun, dun! Next chapter we learn what's up with Ruki, so stay tuned! R+R!

 BlackGatomon: And don't forget to bring me candy! Please?

  
  


	4. Ruki's Secret

Legend of the Digimon Queen

Intro: BlackGatomon: Wheee!!! ^.^ Candy! Everyone is just soooo nice! Arigato!!!!

*Ahem* BlackGatomon…

BlackGatomon: *so happy* Yay! R+R and bring more candy! Momentai, I shared every last bit of it with my tamer!

 Haha, very funny. Oh well, always Thanksgiving. Arigato for reviewing! Momentai on Cubmon, word gets around fast!

Italics- thought, memories Bold- important things, actions 

**Disclaimer: Just your friendly neighborhood Disclaimer! I do not own digimon, or spiderman, which I have obviously been watching way too much!**

**                                                *****Chapter 4*******

     _Ruki… _Takato kept his eyes on the sidewalk as he walked down to Guilmon's shed. It was very peaceful outside, a slight wind rustling the trees and playing with his hair. He sighed and opened the shed, hopeful. _Maybe she's here, maybe that whole ordeal was a nightmare, and I'm awake, and she'll be there again…_

  "Guilmon?"

  Guilmon lifted his head and smiled at his tamer. "Konnichiwa Takato-kun!" 

  "Konnichiwa," said Takato half-heartedly, gazing about the shed. There was nothing, nothing but Guilmon. No sign of Ruki anywhere. Takato's heart sank.

  Guilmon saw his disappointment and came to his side. "Gomenasai Takatomon, I haven't seen Ruki-san."

   "It's ok boy," Takato said, choking his disappointment down and smiling. "Maybe tomorrow…"

   Ruki had made herself scarce since that fight, keeping her word. He couldn't find her anywhere, not in her usual spots at least. It was like she just walked off the end of the earth, never to be seen or heard from again. 

  He'd walk by the mansion sometimes, just to check, maybe she was in the yard, helping Renamon practice. But she was never there, not at school, nowhere. 

    Takato leaned against the stone wall and sank down into a sitting position. Guilmon nuzzled his crestfallen tamer gently, hoping to comfort him. "Takato, why did Ruki leave?"

  "I… don't know…" murmured Takato, barely a whisper. "I just hope… she's alright."

 "She'll be fine Takatomon," said Guilmon, brightening. "She's strong."

    Takato choked back tears. Suddenly his head swirled in emotion and memories. She wasn't strong, just cold and exceedingly brilliant. Her frail hands, he had held them once, and he was so close to proving his love to her… but now he realized she was afraid of love, and afraid of hurt. _She left… because she's afraid…but what is she afraid of?_

Guilmon sighed. _Ruki-san… if only you knew how much you meant to him…_

    Lee stood in the doorway, watching his friend stare into the darkness. Now he regretted his words, that she was their enemy. Clearly maybe she was, but he would never see her as that. He was the only one who saw her for something more… who loved her, and she turned him down. But maybe she had a reason…

  "Hey Gogglehead… don't be sad. Momentai, she'll be back," said Terriermon softly. "She didn't disintegrate like LadyDevimon!"

    Takato didn't smile, the tears only came faster, and soon he was crying, unable to stop himself. _Gogglehead… her nickname for me… Ruki… _ Lee frowned and knelt beside him. "Takato…"

   Takato looked up, sobbing. Lee smiled weakly. "We'll look for her, and we'll find her ok? I promise."

  "You can't promise anything…" he said quietly. "She's not coming back… she's afraid…"

  "Afraid of what?"

 "I don't know…"

     Lee's face softened as he slowly reached toward him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Takato…" 

                                                            *******

    Ruki hadn't really been hiding, in fact, she followed more than she hid. She could sense his presence a mile away, and as soon as that happened she ducked into the nearest hiding place. She knew the city very well, but there was something else she was hiding from, something else that this time she knew she could run, but she couldn't hide.

    Ruki was now perched in the shadows of the wavering trees on top of the shed. Now very good at camouflaging herself she knew she couldn't be seen by her goggle headed friend and the lop head trainer. Crouched, she sat very still, listening. She almost jumped when Renamon came up behind her. "Ruki?"

  "Sh-h…"

 "Ruki, you're avoiding him, but at the same time, you're following him," said Renamon in barely a whisper. Ruki stared hard at her, her eyes emotionless and her face still pale. Renamon softened, how she longed for Ruki to be happy and full of life, but now were dangerous times. She must protect Ruki from the evil lurking round, an evil she was aware of that showed itself a few days ago…

    _ Ruki wandered the streets at night, deep in thought. Something was troubling her, and it wasn't only the pit in her stomach and her aching heart. For some strange reason, she felt she should've taken back her word to Takato and Lee…_

_  Ruki shook her head and sighed, standing still, illuminated by the streetlight above her head. Cars whirled by at the speed of sound it seemed, no one giving thought to her as they bustled past. She had never realized it, but she was awfully lonesome. _

_   A drop of water slipped down her cheek, and she never knew whether it was the newfound rain or her own. The rain came at a much quicker pace, and Ruki suddenly stood, alert. Something was coming._

_  Anyone who had given any thought to her and had stared hard at her for a very long time would've seen the fact that not one raindrop landed on her. Ruki stood, staring up at the sky because she had noticed something strange. It was raining… but there were no clouds._

_  Suddenly, she couldn't feel her left hand anymore. Ruki looked down and gasped, holding her hand up to her face, terrified. **I'm disappearing…**_

****_Her hand was faded and fizzling, and slowly the numbness swirled through her, up her arm, immobilizing her body. She couldn't move, something on the other side… it was trying to suck her back in.  Blinded by the rain, she tried to run, but her legs refused to move. She screamed, but no one heard her. She was all alone…_

_   "Renamon!!" she screamed as she was drowned into the swirling darkness. She collapsed to the floor, her body slowly fading and flickering. She couldn't think, everything was whirling like a merry-go-round out of control. The people around her became blurred bright colors. But she couldn't die, there was something she was supposed to do…_

_   Something seized her face; it was cool and clammy. She looked up at the grayish blurred figure, only able to see his glittering yellow eyes. In an eerie, ghastly voice it hissed, "Come… with… me… angel… of…"_

_  It didn't get to finish its sentence, because Ruki suddenly came back to life. The colors of the night, her head throbbing… where was that creepy thing with the yellow eyes? _

_  She realized where she was. Renamon clutched Ruki to her body, eyes viral as they left the hissing smokescreen. Ruki looked up at her, Renamon was worried. "Renamon?"  
  Renamon didn't answer until they were in Guilmon's shed. Renamon hugged her tamer. "Are you alright?"  
   "Hai…" Ruki looked up at her tamer. "What happened?"  
  "I will tell you when the time is right…"_

Renamon had kept a close watch on her tamer after that night. Something was after Ruki, and she mustn't let it get her tamer. 

  Takato and Lee had gone, and Ruki swooped down off the shed and went inside. The place was vacant. Ruki pursed her lips and slowly took off her jacket, sending it into the corner where it was hidden enough so it wouldn't be seen, but then again it would. Then she ducked out again. "Ruki what're you doing?!"

  Ruki sighed, deciding to tell Renamon about the odd emotions churning inside her. "I think… I've learned to regret…"

                                                                        ******            

   Takato came back the next day to the shed, crestfallen, as he had been since she disappeared. He had sent Guilmon off earlier to play with Juri, Hirokazu, and Kenta, and Lee had to study for a test. He was happy to be alone however, he had hoped that if she had been somehow spying on him that when he was alone she would come. Of course later on he dismissed the childish hope as foolish, she had never spied on him, or at least not that he knew of. Besides, that wasn't like Ruki.

   Takato slid the gate open and walked inside, shuffling his feet. He paced the small shed, almost falling into the hole Guilmon had dug to the digital portal. Suddenly his foot collided with something soft. His instant thought was that it was her, but of course it wasn't. He bent over and fingered the thing he stumbled on, which was smooth and leathery. Slowly he picked it up and found it wasn't alive, actually it was a jacket.

   It hit him. _This is her jacket… _At first he stared in awe at the black leather, fingering her jacket with such care that you would think it was porcelain. Without second thought he slid it on.

   As he clutched the jacket to his body, trying to see if it would somehow give him a part of her, a question slid into his head. _How did it get here… and why? _

   He wondered for a bit, the jacket still on him. Did she want something from him? Was she here and he hadn't noticed? Takato blinked and smiled. This was his ticket to seeing her…

   He broke into a run. He ran out of the shed and down the streets of Shinjuku, happiness warming his paling cheeks. He could see her again… and yet…

   He stopped. Lee's words had caught his mind… what if she was the enemy? _It's too obvious…_

He shoved his hands into the pockets and something slipped against his hand. He withdrew his hand to see a small folded piece of paper slide out of the pocket and onto the ground. Lips pursed he picked it up and slowly smiled. On the front of the folded paper was a drawing of a pair of goggles.

     _So she had wanted me to see this all along…Ruki…_With trembling hands he unfolded the piece of paper to find in slightly sloppy handwriting, a message:

   _I am not the enemy. Something wishes to have what I possess, but as far as I know I possess nothing…_

And under it, in slightly bolder lettering: 

_Do not return the jacket._

  Takato's brow furrowed. He reread the message and sighed. He wanted so badly to see her again, and although going against her wishes would be the last thing on his mind, now he knew she was scared, and he wanted so dearly to comfort her.  _Gomenasai Ruki, but I'm returning the jacket… _

       He resumed going to the Makino Mansion, but at a slower pace, turning the message over in his head. Lee had been wrong, she was not the enemy, she was just afraid of something… something that according to her was bad.

   He fingered the design on the gate and slowly opened it, stepping inside the deserted lawn. To his right the small pond billowed and burbled, to his left trees wavered. Silence. 

   He walked up to the door and knocked softly. No answer, but he heard shuffling. Takato, suspicious, walked around and found Ruki's bedroom window. He frowned; she wasn't in her room. Sighing he leaned his head against the wall. 

  "What are you doing here?"

  Takato jumped and whirled around to see Renamon, arms folded. "She told you not to come…"

    "I… know…" stammered Takato. His face fell and surprisingly Renamon's stern face softened. "Please don't tell her I'm here…I just…"

   "I know."

 Takato blinked. "You do?"

    "You humans are easy to figure out, but the emotions are complicated…" said Renamon slowly. "Anyway, she's not here right now… she's searching for whatever's after her…" Renamon paused and narrowed her eyes. "And I was given strict orders make sure you don't follow."

    Takato backed away and tripped, falling down and shivering like a caught mouse before the cat. Renamon rounded him, fists raced. 

   "What're you going to do to me?"

 Renamon's fist was above her head. "Just encase you into a diamond so you won't screw anything up… you'll only get in the way. War is waging in the digital world Takato, and Ruki is the key to saving it. I will not let some goggle head get in the way of our careful plans!" She released the punch and Takato screamed.

   "Pyro Sphere!" Guilmon's attack collided with Renamon's head, knocking her out and causing her to miss Takato by a few inches. Renamon lay unconscious on the ground, her fur slightly singed from the attack.

  "Guilmon!!" cried Takato, running up and hugging his pal. "Arigato!"

  Lee and Terriermon stood behind Guilmon, who was laughing. Renamon's paw moved slightly, and without anyone noticing she rose to her feet. Takato grinned, still hugging his digimon until…

   "Takato watch out!!!" screamed Lee, Terriermon diving at Renamon who ahd come up behind him. Takato whirled around as Terriermon smacked Renamon with a Terrier Tornado. 

    Suddenly Renamon disappeared in the blink of an eye just as the Terriermon Tornado was about to hit her, and she didn't reappear. Lee picked up Terriermon. "She's going to Ruki… something's wrong…"

   "Look!" cried Guilmon, pointing to just about everywhere around them. "A digimon! The fog!"

   Indeed, a thick fog shrouded the whole city, freezing the people and cars in their places, all but Takato, Lee, and their digimon. 

   Suddenly there was a scream and Takato's eyes narrowed. "I know that scream anywhere… come on!!!"

   Lee and Terriermon shrugged and followed him into the thick fog. Although he couldn't see, Takato didn't pause for an instant, following the sound of the scream. Lee, Terriermon, and Guilmon had a tougher time. "Takato where are you?!"

    Takato heard them and stopped. "Lee?! Terriermon? Guilmon?" He stood cloaked in fog he had lost his path in. Takato stared and pounded the ground. "No…"

    Another scream reached his ears. His eyes flew open and before he knew what he was doing he had dashed right into a clearing in the fog, where he saw an odd sight before him.

   "Ruki?!"

  A cloaked digimon was clutching Ruki's throat, holding her up above him. It paused and craned its cloaked head to see the intruder. Ruki saw him too and gasped. "Takato… no…"

   "Ruki!" cried Takato trying to get closer.

 "Get… away…"

    The digimon's eyes revealed that it was grinning. Dressed in a scarlet cloak it hovered a few feet above the ground, although it had feet. It had glittering yellow eyes and two horns sprouting from its head. Its clawed fingers easily fit around Ruki's thin neck. Takato didn't need a second thought to recognize this digimon, he had seen it before… in Digimon Season 2 episodes…

  "Daemon?!"  
 ****

Daemon cackled happily at the mention of his name. "Ah yes… at least someone other than your precious Ruki remembers me…"

   "What do you want with her?!" cried Takato, standing his ground.

 Daemon eyes shone. "Why… I just want to take Ruki back to the digital world where she belongs… she'll be extremely useful I assure you."

  Ruki managed to rip his claws off her and ended up landing about 10 feet below to the ground with a crack. Takato was at her side instantly, but she brushed him aside. "I fight my own battles Gogglehead."

    Daemon hung in the air, the thick fog swirling about behind him making him look surprisingly more menacing that he already was. "Aw, how sweet. I've kept careful watch over you my dear Ruki, but I'm afraid now you've been found."

   Takato stared at Ruki, confounded. "What's going on?" Ruki didn't looked at him.

   Daemon raised one long claw and tilted Ruki's chin up to him. "Tsk, tsk Ruki-san. You didn't even tell your friends about this whole ordeal… pity…" Daemon turned his cloaked head to Takato. "Oh well, I'll make do. It only means you'll be easy prey…"  
 Immediately Daemon lunged at Takato, clutching his throat like he did Ruki's, only this time his claws dug into his skin. "What is it you and your friends say? … oh yes… Momentai Takato, Ruki will be fine… for now…"

    Takato gasped and sputtered, his feet flailing, trying to make contact with the digimon's scarlet cloak. He managed to crane his head to Ruki, but she was staring at the ground, her face sullen. "Ruki!!! Please… help me…"

    Ruki turned away and shut her eyes. _It'll all be over soon… but… how could I do this? He's my friend… he's the only one who's ever believed in me… he saw me for something else… but this-this is for the best, if he is killed now, then there is no pain. I cannot bear to hurt him again…_

Daemon's grip slowly grew tighter, and through his sputtering gasps Takato fought back tears. _Why won't she help me? Please Ruki… please help me… I'll never get to tell you that you're the only one I want… please Ruki I'll never get to tell you I love you…_

Tears blurred his vision as he tried his best to get her to look at him. "Why won't you help me? Ruki! Please… look at me…"

   Ruki couldn't bear it; she was letting him die. Daemon watched her with extreme interest. "Hahaha! Say goodbye to your friend Ruki! Is your secret worth this?!" His grip grew tighter and tighter, and Takato screamed. Daemon lashed out, clawing his arms and shoulders, but Ruki wouldn't budge. 

  "Or this?!" Daemon released his grip on Takato's throat and began to lash at his chest with his claws. Takato tried to fight back, but the claws with long and sharp and usually found a way to his skin. His screams reached Ruki's ears, but she only it her lip. _Is it really worth all this Makino? You're letting your only friend die…_

Renamon's soft paws gripped her shoulders. "Ruki…"

  Daemon grinned. "Hai… and how could we forget Renamon??" Daemon grabbed Renamon by the neck and held her above him, still wounding Takato. "Well?!"

   Ruki stared up at Daemon, a look of pure sadness splashed on her face. _Forgive me… Takato, Renamon…_

   Daemon growled; she wasn't breaking. "IF YOU WON'T REVEAL YOUR POWER I'LL KILL THEM BOTH!!!" he roared, throwing both of them to the ground and landing with an earsplitting crack. Renamon remained unconscious.

    "Flame Inferno!!!" screamed Daemon, hurling fire balls in every direction, intending to destroy the whole city. Ruki shielded Renamon, Takato, and herself, but she was silent. Takato stared at her, crying because of the pain not only in his flesh but in his heart. "Ruki…"

   Ruki stared at him, her face straight and expressionless, yet he could tell through blurred vision she was trying extremely hard not to cry. "Ruki… I just came… to give you back your jacket… and help you if I could."

  Ruki's tears won and she began to cry. Takato slowly found the strength to get up on his hands and knees to embrace her. "I really care about you Ruki… and I think I understand… you're afraid…"

     Ruki's tears mixed in with the blood from his wounds, and with each drop his wounds healed. Takato could feel his vision returning, and he pulled her closer. "Gomenasai… if I hurt you or made things worse but really Ruki… I do care about you… please don't cry…"

   Blood leaked through her shirt from his chest, and through tears Ruki backed away from him, and lay her hand on his wounds. "Gomenasai…"

  Takato's vision cleared, Ruki was healing him. Takato looked up at her and smiled. "I never got a chance to tell you Ruki but I love you…"

    Ruki cried harder, covering her face with her hands. Takato realized that wasn't the thing to say and held her hands. "Ruki…"

    **Boom.**

In an instant Takato was on the ground, breathing heavily, his hair and the ground around him soaked in blood. Ruki gasped, her gaze turning up to Daemon, who was cackling maniacally. 

    Ruki stared in silence at her friend, the only one who truly cared about her. He had saved her once, and never bothered to ask what was happening. He trusted her, he loved her, and it cost him his life. Ruki's heart ached; it wasn't fair. Something inside Ruki snapped and she realized…

    _I have learned to love…_

  At that exact moment Terriermon, Lee, and Guilmon arrived on the scene, stopping dead in shock. A cackling evil digimon was hovering above the ground, destroying everything in its path. On the ground sat Ruki, who had suddenly gone rigid. And then their eyes turned to the ground, to Takato.

   Lee screamed. Guilmon sunk to his knees and cried, Terriermon gasped in horror. They didn't have time to dwell on their friend's death, because for some reason Ruki's eyes dilated to slits and she doubled over.

    _This can't be happening… _Ruki struggled to keep her body from ripping apart. She screamed, covering her chest with her hands, but it was already too late, her skin had begun to split. _Please no… _

Daemon paused to watch, grinning, while the other three stood thunderstruck. No one dared to speak. Then it happened.

    A bright light coursed through Ruki's body, illuminating her so she looked like a human jack o lantern. She froze, and the light suddenly burst from her chest, ripping her body apart. 

   Daemon cackled as the whole area was blasted by light. "Hai…"

     Lee covered his eyes and tried to keep a firm footing as the light threatened to blow him away. _What the hell is going on?!_

As suddenly as the light came, it disappeared, but Ruki was no longer. Surrounded by bloody rubble and debris Lee could see the Guardian of Love in Ruki's place…

    "Ophanimon?!"

                                                            ********

 And that ends our now really long chapter! Gomenasai for the nasty little cliffhanger there…

  Blackgatomon: ^.^ Stay tuned! Candy please?? 


	5. ForgetMeNot and Lee's War

Legend of the Digimon Queen

Intro: Arigato for reviewing! ^.^ I'm glad you like my story! That's a very good question Rukato Fan, actually, one I wasn't expecting, but you'll understand after the next few chapters… I promise! For those of you who didn't know what she asked she was just wondering how our hero Takato fell in love with Ruki so fast and deeply. 

BlackGatomon: Candy!!! Arigato everyone, just arigato so much!! Bags, and bags of candy… O.O I'm in heaven ^.^

 Heehee, arigato, R+R!   
  


Italics- Thoughts, memories Bold- actions, important stuff 

**Disclaimer: Do not own digimon.**

**                                                            *****Chapter 5*******

    There was no mistaking it. In Ruki's place, lingering about a foot in the air stood the Guardian of Love, the angel Ophanimon. She was, in every aspect, truly magnificent. She was thin and tall, with vibrant red hair just visible under her blue headset with a gold cross in the middle. Two rings were bond to the sides of her head, connecting to huge blue shoulder armor. Her stomach showed through the huge blue armor, which was two-piece, the bottom half marked with a cross in the middle. Her arms were robotic (staying with the blue armor) and turned into two blue cufflinks, one with blue wings on the sides and the other a hand plate with a golden head of a Pegasus on it. She held in one arm a menacing looking golden lance with wings on the circular ring around the handle. Seven wings jutted out of her back, all golden, and two more attached to her waist. *Author's Note: If you're confused e-mail me and I'll send the actual picture over*

    Everyone's mouths dropped. "Ruki?!" cried Lee. Ophanimon turned to him and nodded slowly. Lee gasped in shock.

   Ophanimon seemingly ignored their reaction, instead she hovered over Takato's body and slowly picked him up. Holding him in her arms, she smiled serenely down at her beloved. But something broke the stunned silence…

    Daemon pounced on Ophanimon, who recognized his gesture and blasted him. "Sephiroth Crystal!" The blow knocked Daemon to the wall with a crack, leaving him angry and bleeding. 

     While Daemon tried to stop his world from spinning so fast Ophanimon turned to Lee causing his head to hurt, clouding out any other train of thought. _Distract him… _The message burned in his head and he understood. Ophanimon was going to revive Takato, and to do that she needed a distraction. Lee grinned and nodded. Terriermon and Guilmon must've heard it too as they both prepared for battle. "Ready Lee?"

   "When am I not? Biomerge Activate!!!"

  Terriermon bio merge to…

 MegaGargomon!

    Daemon had gotten his footing and yet again began to pursue Ophanimon, who quickly trying to flee, Takato still dangling in her arms. Daemon growled and shot up into the air, but as he did Guilmon spotted him. "I may not be able to digivolve without Takatomon but I'm not helpless! Pyro Sphere!"

    **Pop! ** The attack smacked Daemon off course with a slightly singed cloak. Daemon turned around and spotted Guilmon who was running below him pelting him with fiery attacks. "Why you little impudent…"

    "Diamond Storm!" Daemon had a nanosecond to realize the hurtling edged diamonds raining down on him. The needles like gems stuck to his singed cloak as he turned upward to see Renamon, no longer wounded. "NANI?!"

   "Miss me?" said Renamon, hovering in the air. A thin smile curled upon her lips as she pulled out Ruki's D-arc. "I'm sure Ruki does too… Digi Modify! Matrix Digivolution Activate!!"  
   Snarling, Daemon had no reservations to slaughter this impudent fox. Speeding toward her, scythe raised, he prepared to slash her in two. Renamon was the closet thing to getting to Ophanimon, so killing her first would be silent but sweet. But he had stupidly forgotten one thing…

  "Mega Barrage!!" cried MegaGargomon, not too far off to Daemon's left, as they pounded the cloaked evil with 2000 green bullets. "Ha! Take that baka!" cried Terriermon happily. 

   Lee took his chance to gaze up at Ophanimon who was still high in the air, glowing. Takato was hovering in front of her, and slowly she bent forward. At exactly that moment Lee heard a scream. "Lee!!! We've got company!!"

   "Wha-?!"

  MegaGargomon swirled around, frantically searching for Daemon. Finally he spotted him and screamed in horror. "GUILMON!!!!!"

  Taomon heard Lee's cry and craned her neck around to see Daemon dig his scythe straight through Guilmon's red skin. Taomon screamed. "Talisman of Light!!!"

   It was too late. Daemon sliced Guilmon open, and as blood flew in all directions a tiny ball of light sprouted from Guilmon's tattered body. With bloody fingers Daemon gripped it in his clawed palm. Taomon knew her attacks wouldn't reach him in time. "MegaGargomon! If Daemon eats that thing we're dead!!"

   He turned. "What are you talking about?!"  
  "That's Guilmon's soul! If he eats that thing it will revitalize all his powers! He'll become invincible!!!" 

     "Oh my go-!"

    **Shoom!! **Cackling wickedly, Daemon suddenly grew five times his normal size, cloaking the whole city in gray darkness with a shadowy shield. Even though they could see clearly, the shield looked like thunderheads. MegaGargomon and Taomon gaped. "Ok… can we panic now?" asked Terriermon.

   Taomon gulped. "Hai, now would be a good time…"

     "I've got an idea Taomon, you shield Ophanimon from Daemon's grasp, and Guilmon too, we might need his body, while we distract him ok?" said MegaGargomon. Taomon nodded and rose into the air, shielding Ophanimon in the transparent yin yang hemisphere. Guilmon floated upward to join them. 

   "You do realize Lee, that we just said our death wish?" said Terriermon. Lee sighed. "Quiet Terriermon, we have to distract this bone head."

   "Flame Inferno!!!" Daemon boomed as millions of blazing balls of fire hurtled down upon the city and the digimon.

   Terriermon gulped. "Easier said than done!" 

                                                            ******

     Ophanimon focused her powers only on Takato as the chaos swirled around her. _If only I could find his soul… _Searching through his body she finally found was she was looking for. _Perfect._

 Taomon paid no attention to Ophanimon as she doubled over and sat down. Taomon didn't even notice as Ophanimon, seemingly sick, hurled up a smoky golden ball of light, she totally ignored the fact that it zipped down into Takato's body through his mouth. At least, she tried not to. Ophanimon didn't hear it, but Taomon gagged slightly while listening to this whole ordeal.

   _  " Takato… Takato…"_

_      **Someone is calling me… such an angelic voice… but why can't I open my eyes? I cannot see…**_

****_"Takato…"_

_   Gently he drifted into death, having no knowledge of what was happening. But that voice… it was just like…_

_  Takato's eyes fluttered open. **Ruki? **_

_    He was floating headfirst into wherever it is dead people go, which seemed almost like being under the sea. He looked around frantically for the voice and found it was coming from above. He squinted up above him and could see a faint golden light beaming in the deep blue atmosphere he drifted in. The light kept calling his name…_

_  "Takato… Gogglehead…"_

_   **Ruki? Is that you?**_

****_The golden ball of light came closer and if he squinted hard enough he could see a faint outline. Soon it became so closr he could clearly see the outline, the outline of Ruki. **Ruki!**_

****_She was now only a shaped faint light, golden wings attached to her back. Ribbons trailed and wrapped about her body, her hair free from its usual ponytail. She smiled at her name and grasped his arm. Pulling him right side up, she spoke. "It's me Gogglehead… I finally found you…"_

_   **I missed you… what happened? Why are you here? Aren't I dead?**_

****_Ruki's figure shimmered brightly. "Hai… you are dead…"_

_   **But if you're here too… are you dead?**_

****_"No… I came to revive you…and to thank you…"_

_    He smiled and hugged her. **Arigato Ruki-san… I meant what I said…**_

****_ Surprisingly, Ruki hugged back. "Takato… there's something I never told you… or could tell you… which is why I'm here…"_

_    Takato faced her, hands on her shoulders. **Shoot. **_

_    Ruki sighed. "I am the Guardian of Love Ophanimon from the Digital World and one of the three Guardians descent upon the Digital World to govern and shape it."_

_   Takato gave her a quizzical look. **Nani?**_

 "Takato, all my life here on earth was only a hiding place. Don't you see? I was sent here dressed as a human to hide, and if I learned to love and regret it would disperse my powers, leaving me vulnerable… I'm a digimon Takato…"

    A single tear slid down her golden face. "Listen to me, in the Digital World the evil that had slowly been taking over Kerpymon's  (another guardian) turf tried to kill me. I escaped luckily, but I had to hide in secret here, with my guard Renamon. Because I am a digimon gave me my brilliance in the card game, and I became famous. It was perfect, I would never be detected in human disguise as long as I didn't learn to love again. If I learned to love it would activate my power, which would rip the disguise in two… I could be detected then."

   Takato stared below them, tears in his eyes. He had gotten her to love him, and that had put her in danger. The pain attacks when a digimon appeared, that was her power reacting to the disturbance in the digital field… it was strange, but it fit. **So I… I…**

Ruki sighed. "Hai, you did the impossible. Because of your persistence and caring heart I fell in love with you, and then you died right before my eyes when Daemon killed you. He had come to take me back to his master so he could slaughter me." More tears slid down her face. "Gomenasai… I put you through all that so you wouldn't see… the last thing I ever wanted to do was to harm you, physically or mentally… yet either way I did…"

  **Does this mean… I can never see you again?**

"Maybe…" She saw his heartbroken face and broke into tears. "It's not your fault Takato! Please don't be sad… this is my entire fault… I never should've put you through this…" She leaned closer. "Truth be told… I love you too…"

    Takato felt her faint hands gently lay upon his face as she kissed him deeply. Tears slid down their faces as they proved their love to each other, until Ruki had to break away. "You'll be revived soon, so you can help take down Daemon… please keep hope, even if you never see me again…" As if being sucked by a vacuum she disintegrated slowly.

   ** Wait! **He reached out to her but she had already disappeared. The pit in his stomach told him this was the last time he would ever see his dear Ruki in human form…**Wait…**

    Takato's eyes shot open. "Ruki!" Something gentle and warm touched his sweating face. "Momentai Takato-kun…"

    Takato looked up and his vision cleared. Standing over him was Ophanimon in all her shining glory. It's true… oh my god…

   "Ruki…" Takato reached up to touch her face, tears sliding gently down his bloodstained face. "It's… true… it's all true…" It took all his strength to keep from really crying, but he allowed a few tears to slither down his cheeks. He bit his lip and trembled. Why must this always happen to me?

   Taomon turned and broke the silence. "Pardon me Mistress, Takato, but isn't that your friend hurtling himself toward us?"

   "Nani?!" cried Takato, thrusting himself upward. They were floating in a giant hemisphere, Taomon working her hardest to keep it up and strong, but her own strength was fading. Takato ran over and looked out.

   Indeed, speeding toward them was MegaGargomon, but something was different. Daemon was standing far below, cackling madly, MegaGargomon strangely doing the same. Takato suddenly realized what was different, MegaGargomon's eyes were red, his armor black. 

     Takato gasped in horror. "Oh my god… Lee?!"

                                                                        *********

   Gomenasai for yet another cliffhanger but we must stop! I do believe there should be around two more chapters at most, and yes, this will have a very happy ending. 


	6. Final Justice

Legend of the Digimon Queen

Intro: School is murder, which is pretty much why this wasn't out sooner. But now we're back and ready with the final chapter of our pretty odd story. 

BlackGatomon: Oh she did appear in the 4th season? Good. That means we're doing well. And by the way, the picture we saw online she had red hair, so as far as we know she's red haired. But if she's blond on the show then we have no idea. 

I know this is all very confusing but believe me it will be much easier to understand what's going on! R+R!

**Disclaimer: I do not own digimon, Happy Holidays everyone!!!**

**Bold- actions, important stuff**

Italics- thoughts, memories 

*****Chapter 6****

     With a smug grin plastered on the black bullet bunny's face, MegaGargomon soared toward them, gun pointed and ready to fire. Ophanimon grabbed Takato at the last second before the huge gun blasted the shield to smithereens. Takato stared in shock while Taomon desperately tried to create a new shield for them. His gape soon turned to horror when Ophanimon tapped his shoulder and showed him Guilmon.

   Guilmon was a bloody wreck, his chest looked as if it had exploded, blood still dribbling down his motionless sides. Takato's lip trembled, not knowing whether to scream or cry… or both. Ophanimon watched him as he reached out to touch his dead partner, shaking uncontrollably. "Guh-Guilmon?"

   Tears slid down his cheeks. "Guilmon…" that was all he could say. No words came to him as he trembled from head to toe, trying extremely hard not to break into hysterical tears. "My… my partner…" _Takatomon! _Guilmon's voice echoed through his head so clearly, yet here his pal lie, motionless and bloody. Takato had to bite his lip to keep from crying so hard it bled. Ophanimon embraced the shaken Tamer. "I shouldn't have brought you back so soon… not to all this grief…"

   Takato just buried his face in her slender figure and began to cry. Ophanimon shaded him with her golden wings and he looked up. "Can't you bring him back?"

   "He was your creation, a new digimon, a guardian. I cannot bring back an all new digimon a human created… besides, his soul lies in Daemon…" Her own face was moistened with tears. "But he is not the only thing that has died…"

   Takato turned to see Taomon collapse at the foot of the enormous mega. Suddenly something occurred to him that had never hit him before. He looked over his friend, who was holding his gun to Taomon's chest. MegaGargomon's armor had turned pitch black, his eyes now fiendishly red. The grin plastered on his face, it wasn't pride… it was almost zombie like. His eyes widened. "Lee! Terriermon!!"

   MegaGargomon didn't even look up. Ophanimon grasped his shoulders. "That is not Lee… Lee and Terriermon are dead…"

   Takato stared in disbelief at the monster before him. _What happened to you? Oh god… Lee… _Ophanimon's grip tightened slightly. "Daemon got hold of their souls too… before you here stands BlackMegaGargomon…"

    Takato looked from Guilmon's lifeless body to Lee and Terriermon's huge zombie form. He clapped his hands over his ears and screamed. _This cannot be! Lee, Terriermon, Guilmon! You can't leave me, not now! NO!_

 Surprisingly, the whole area began to shake, causing BlackMegaGargomon to lose his footing and collapse on the ground. Takato couldn't take it, and to keep his sanity he turned back to Guilmon, trying his hardest to bring him back to life. "Guilmon please, I need you now more than anything…" He shut his eyes and memories of Megidramon flashed through his mind. "I swore if anything ever happened to you like that I'd kill myself…"

   He gripped Guilmon's huge paw in his hand. "Gomenasai Guilmon…" And with that he laid his head on his friend's dismembered body and cried. Ophanimon and Taomon fended BlackMegaGargomon off, while Takato cried, vision blurring. He'd lost everything; his friends, his only love, and now his own partner, all to a demon trying to take Ophanimon to her death sentence. If he had been told earlier that this would happen, he would've laughed, but this was serious. All his allies had fallen…

   Through blurred vision he squinted and made out Daemon advancing toward him. There was a din of sounds coming from all directions, most cries of "Watch out!" But he didn't hear them. He stared through his colored world at his enemy with pure hatred. "You will not win… you will never win… I won't let you carry out this injustice… I swear over Guilmon's body I won't!"

    "Such strong words for such a little boy… your death will be swift, you won't feel a thing…" Daemon, cackling madly, reached toward Takato's chest. Takato threw his energy into it and socked Daemon right in the stomach. Daemon reeled backward in real pain, a sudden terror in his eyes. "You…"

   Takato stared at him and his vision cleared. Daemon was staring at him in terror, crippled against the wall. Puzzled, Takato looked around himself and found he was glowing. "What the?!" Takato glanced around him, all had ceased fighting to stare at him as he drifted up into the air. His gaze turned to his hands, which were now fully golden in color. 

   Daemon screamed in pain as he erupted in light, 3 glowing balls of light shooting out of him like bullets. Ophanimon had shot an attack right at him to release the spirits. Two zoomed toward BlackMegaGargomon, whose armor turned back to its greenish color, eyes cleared. The last one slammed right into Guilmon's body, healing his wounds and opening his eyes. 

   Takato had no idea what had just happened but he had no time to dwell on it. His head split with pain and his vision clouded again. Something was trying desperately to get out of his body. Doubled over in the air, his body erupted in gold light. Ophanimon recognized it and beamed with happiness. "Seraphimon-kun!"

    Takato's body grew three times its size, his clothing replaced with body armor. Erupting from his back came glorious wings, and to his hand a staff. He no longer remembered himself as Matsuki Takato, he was now Seraphimon: Guardian of Justice.

    Daemon screamed. "TWO?!! How did you get here?!!!!"  
 Seraphimon smiled. "When she went into hiding, I went with her, but sealed the memory of my existence within the boy. He had no knowledge of possessing great power. Besides… Ophanimon is my love, I could not live knowing she was in peril."

   Terriermon and Lee de-digivolved from MegaGargomon. "So let me get this straight, you two lovebirds are Guardians of the Digimon Kingdom?! And what are we, chopped liver?!!!"

   Ophanimon rose to her lover and smiled down at Lee. "I think your friend knows…"

    Lee looked at her quizzically. "I do?"

  The two angels pointed their staffs at Lee and blasted him. Terriermon screamed, "What did you do that for?! You just killed my tamer!!!"

   "Not quite…" said a booming voice behind him. The lop-headed bunny whirled around to face a much bigger version of himself, Kerpymon!

     Terriermon fainted. Kerpymon stooped down and sighed. "I don't think he'll ever get over this…" He turned to Seraphimon and Ophanimon. "What do you say we blast little demon boy over there?" Daemon shrunk back utterly afraid of the towering guardians. He had come to bring Ophanimon back to her escaped cage, not face off with all three guardians! 

   But suddenly a smirk drew across Daemon's face. "You haven't won yet Tamers/Guardians!!" Quick as can be he shot a beam at Kerpymon, who had no idea what he was doing and did nothing to stop it. 

  The beam struck his chest and something very odd happened. Kerpymon suddenly went from bright white to a navy blue. He grew thrice his normal size, which was already huge enough, and his eyes turned yellow, his smile turned upside down. Seraphimon's eyes widened. "Kerpymon?"

   "That's not Kerpymon…" cried Ophanimon, pushing Seraphimon out of the way just as the now powerful Cherubimon shot a beam at her. 

   Seraphimon collided with the soft earth, but he did not feel Ophanimon pressed against his body. He looked up in distress to see Ophanimon illuminated in the dark light of the beam, her figure flickering. "NO!"

    Ophanimon screamed and vanished right before his eyes. Seraphimon screamed and turned to face his old friend. "Kerpymon! It's me! Seraphimon! I'm your friend!!"

   Daemon cackled as he stood, perched on Cherubimon's shoulder. A huge cage appeared in Cherubimon's hand. "And here's your sweet love, Seraphimon! Momentai, she is safe with me! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

   Seraphimon stared at them in shock. "Kerpymon…" He stared into Cherubimon's glittering yellow eyes. Those were not his friend's eyes; Seraphimon realized Kerpymon was gone. "My friend…"

   Seraphimon stood motionless as his eyes moved over to Ophanimon. His face was moistened in tears. "Ophanimon…" 

   Ophanimon was cramped in the cage like a falcon in a canary's cage. She was crying, and he longed to reach out and touch her. After all they had been through, as Takato and she as Ruki, they had rediscovered their love. He couldn't bear it, Daemon's master was going to take over the Digimon World, and without his two partners in tune with him, it would never be restored. 

    WarGrowlmon came to his side. "Seraphimon… I found you D-arc." He extended his claw to show the golden D-arc, and around the ring were the markings of the ten warriors of the world. There was a ray of hope, the armor of the warriors could help them win this war. Seraphimon grinned broadly and hugged his dear friend. "Round up Renamon and Terriermon and take them to my realm. Tell them to get the two messengers: Bokomon and Neemon. Send them to the train station. I will do the rest."

   WarGrowlmon nodded. "Anything you say Takatomon."

  Seraphimon smiled and watched his digimon and the other two guardians disappear to his realm. Then he turned back to business and realized Cherubimon was preparing to attack. "Oh no you don't…"

   Seraphimon raised his lance over his D-arc, murmuring something in the tongue the scriptures were written. "Release the ten warriors armors and save our world!" 

   Cherubimon ran at him, Seraphimon only had a few seconds. After murmuring the specified prayer, right as Cherubimon was about to grab him and destroy him, he pushed his lance down right in the center of his D-arc, and the golden symbols illuminated in light and rose up. In a pillar of light Seraphimon was taken up into the sky. He put his hands together. "The tamers will be reborn… and they will find happiness not knowing their digital counterparts. They will fend off the D-Reaper, the menace to the world in the past!" 

    Cherubimon roared in anger and began to fire his attack. Seraphimon's eyes raced over to Ophanimon, and their eyes met. "I love you…" they whispered to each other. She nodded and he swept his staff around him, causing a wave of light to encase everything…

    _My sweet love,_

_   Our human counterparts will be reborn…_

_  They will find peace, love, and happiness with each other…_

_ And delete the prelude to the Civil War!_

_ And our human counterparts…_

_Matsuki Takato…_

_Makino Ruki…_

_They will be destined for each other, like you and I…_

_So in these humans we will find_

_Sweet love, happiness, and our friends…_

_But here, in the future, we will be troubled…_

_But not for long…_

_Although our partner is corrupt_

_And you captured_

_I will not give up the hope that_

_Our warrior armors reach humans that can use them_

_And they have a great destiny too_

_They can heal Kerpymon_

_And restore peace to our land!_

_Remember…_

_Our love can transcend time_

_I will never forget you_

_And I will always love you…_

That is the Prelude to Digimon Frontier…

Me: You like? Gomenasai if it's a little whacked, but this is kinda what I've been planning all along. We hope you enjoyed it. None of this is actually true, as this is a fanfiction, but if you think about it hard enough, it does seem to make sense doesn't it? 

BlackGatomon: We didn't really know if the mark of the ten warriors is on Takato's D-arc but we can stretch the truth a bit if it wasn't can't we? R+R Rukato Itsumademo! Oh, and stay tuned for our Holiday Rukato story, featuring Rukato, Lee/Juri, and slight Ryuki!

Me: If there's anything you don't understand e-mail me and I'll see if I can explain it better cause this is pretty confusing. 


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